


Quantum Mechanics

by moonlight_jukebox



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Very fluffy fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:08:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26580403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlight_jukebox/pseuds/moonlight_jukebox
Summary: Reader is feeling insecure about her intellectual abilities. Luckily, her boyfriend happens to be a genius that is more than willing to remind her how smart she is.
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s), Spencer Reid/Reader, Spencer Reid/You
Comments: 3
Kudos: 82





	Quantum Mechanics

**Author's Note:**

> For a Tumblr request:   
> one where reader is struggling with astrophysics because that’s what she’s studying and spencer helps her out because he’s a genius? (this would be amazing to read because i’m studying astrophysics!! i love your writing :))))maybe one where he is her boyfriend?

I tried to hide my growing panic and frustration, but it was almost no use. When Spencer had offered to help me with my homework, I had all but jumped at the chance. An actual genius helping with my homework _and_ I got to spend time with my boyfriend? Sign me up!

Dr. Spencer Reid was one of the sweetest people I had ever met. Sometimes I felt insecure about my major in college and my future goals; trying to be a woman in the STEM field was not for the faint of heart. Every time I doubted myself, Spencer was there to remind me that he believed in me.

And if the youngest person to ever join the FBI and his numerous degrees believed in me, then I could definitely do this. Right?

 _Wrong,_ I thought.

None of this made any sense to me and the words on the page in front of me started to swim as tears clouded my vision. I just didn’t understand; I hadn’t had any trouble with Principles of Quantum Mechanics…so _why_ was I struggling so much with Quantum Mechanics?

“You okay?” My boyfriend asked, pulling me out of my pity party.

I couldn’t look at him. He was a profiler for god’s sake, there is no way I could hide what I was feeling from him. With all of that in mind I just gave him a sharp nod, hoping he would think I was just engrossed in my homework.

 _No such luck_.

His chair creaked signaling he had shifted closer to me. “Y/n. Look at me, sweetheart. Please?”

His voice cracked a little on the last word which made my heart hurt even more. I slowly lifted my head until I met his worried amber-colored eyes.

“Oh, baby, no,” he whispered, leaning over to wrap his arms around me. “What’s wrong, y/n?”

I turned my body and buried my face in his shoulder. “I’m an idiot,” was my muffled reply.

Spencer had the audacity to actually _laugh,_ which caused me to poke him in the stomach. “It’s not funny,” I scolded.

"Ow!" he cried, pulling away from me slightly. "Don't poke me! You're the one being ridiculous."

I huffed. “I am _not_ being ridiculous. I…I don’t understand my homework. And I didn’t understand anything in the lecture today.” I pointed to the page in my textbook. “I’m stupid and my life is _ruined.”_

…Alright, maybe I was being a _tiny_ bit dramatic.

“Hey,” he whispered, taking my hand in his. “You’re not stupid. This isn’t an easy concept to grasp. Quantum Mechanics is _the_ base for all quantum physics, y/n. It’s hard for everyone.”

“It’s not hard for you,” I muttered. “You could _teach_ this class.”

Spencer nodded. “Yeah, I probably could, but what I can do doesn’t diminish what you’re capable of. I’m also older than you.”

I laughed ruefully. “You had 3 PhDs by the time you were my age. And you’re only 3 years older than me. You’re also a _federal agent,_ Spence.”

“Y/n, you can’t compare your accomplishments to mine,” he implored. He ran his thumb over the back of my hand. “I honestly think you’re more impressive than I am.”

Now it was my turn to stare at him dumbfounded. “ _What?_ How?”

He just shrugged his narrow shoulders. “I have an eidetic memory. I remember everything I’ve ever read and can pull it up at will. Being smart was never something I had to work at. School never really challenged me. Even when I was doing my dissertations, I found the process more tedious than anything.”

“I don’t understand what that has to do with me.”

The hand not covering mine came up to cradle the side of my face. “You don’t see how amazing you are. You have to work at this, you have to try. I never did. I think you have to factor effort into this, y/n. I don’t know that I would have gone as far as I did if I had to devote so much time to this.”

“So,” I began, my brows drawing together as I pieced everything together. “The fact that I have to try is what’s impressive?”

Spencer laughed, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “No. The fact that you _want_ try so hard is what’s impressive. This is difficult for you, but you won’t give up. You’ll devote your time, effort, and energy to it. You’ll…persevere. You’ll endure. How determined you are is what’s impressive to me.”

I offered a watery chuckle. “I love you, you know.”

The smile that came over his face at my words warmed my heart. His eyes were bright when he leaned in to brush his lips over mine. “I know,” he breathed out. “I love you too.”

He pulled away from me, folding his hands on the table in front of him. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to let you out of doing your homework. We’re going to work through this whole lecture piece by piece until you understand it a bit better.”

I just sighed. “Fine,” I muttered, unable to suppress my smile. “As long as you love me…I guess this is alright.” 


End file.
